Facebook announces new steps to protect users' privacy

A new privacy shortcuts menu will allow users to quickly increase account security

A new privacy shortcuts menu will allow users to quickly increase account security

COMPUTERS | CULTURE

US - Facebook said Wednesday it would overhaul its privacy settings tools to put users "more in control" of their information on the social media website.

The updates include improved access to Facebook's user settings and tools to easily search for, download and delete personal data stored by Facebook.

Meanwhile, a new privacy shortcuts menu will allow users to quickly increase account security, manage who can see their information and activity on the site and control advertisements they see.

"We have heard loud and clear that privacy settings and other important tools are too hard to find and that we must do more to keep people informed," chief privacy officer Erin Egan and deputy general counsel Ashlie Beringer said in a blog post.

"We are taking additional steps in the coming weeks to put people more in control of their privacy," they confirmed.

The new features follow fierce criticism after it was revealed millions of Facebook users' personal data was harvested by a British firm linked to Donald Trump's 2016 campaign -- although Facebook said they have been "in the works for some time."